Motor-vehicle.



G. RWADSV1| 1TH.

MOTOR VEHI E.

APPLICATION FILED 1 15.1912.

1 1 87,024; Patented June 13, 1916.

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G. R. WADSWORTH.

MoToR vEHmLE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY I5. 1912.

1 ,1 87,024. Patented June 13, 1916.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIOE.

GEORGE B WADSWOBTH, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, .ASSIGNOR T0 THE PEEBLESS MOTOR CAR COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

MOTOR-VEHICLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 13, 1916.

Application led Iuly 1 5, 1912. Serial No. 709,415.

T0 all whom 'it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE R. WADs- WORTH, a citizen of the Uni-ted States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Motor-Vehicles, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to motor vehicles and has for its main objects to provide certain improvements especially in the chassis and body, which improvements effect a material lowering of the body, and other desirable characteristics of the body; which provide a strongV rigid frame and result in a direct saving in the amount of material required in the construction of the chassis frame, and permit of a more direct and satisfactory manner of attaching the platform spring to the frame than heretofore.

The above and other objects are accomplished by my invention which may be here riey, summarized as consisting of certain novel details of construction and combi-v nations and arrangements of parts which will be described in the specification and set forth in the claims.

The preferred form of my invention is illustrated in the drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a sideelevation of the rear portion of a motor vehicle equipped with my invention, parts being broken away, and parts being in section; Fig. 2 is a rear view of the same with the body removed; and Fig. 3 is a top plan View of the rear part lof the chassis.

- Referring now to the drawings, 10 represents the body of the vehicle, 11 the chassis frame of novel'construction, and 12 the rear axle or axle casing which in this case is connected to the frame and body through 4vthe medium of a rear platform spring 13,

(which is connected to the chassis frame in a novel manner to be explained,) and a pairof side springs 14, the forward ends of which are connected to the frame, and the rear ends of which are coupled to the ends of the rear platform spring 13 in the usual manner.

:frame is offset' upwardly over the rear axle,

rearwardly thereof is so shaped that certain desirable characteristics of the body are obtained, including a lowering of the body, and an arrangement of the floor beneath the rear seat so as to obtain with a low ioor a desirable depth of cushion at the rear part of the seat, and increased height of back panel of the body. Furthermore, in those cars wherein it 1s preferable to employ a rear platform spring, the frame is so -shaped that the sprlng can be given a more directl attachment to the frame than heretofore, and at the same time rigidity is Vsecured and economy of m'aterial effected.

Referring again to the drawings. it will be seen that the side bars 11a of the frame are parallel for at least a portion of their length, and forwardly of the rear axle are quite low with respect to the rear axle casing 12, these side bars being channelshaped in cross section, as is usual in automobile constructions. Just forwardly of the rear axle casing 12, the'side bars are offset or bent upwardly over the rear axle casing, as shown at 11", and thence the side bars, instead of extending rearwardly in a horizontal plane are from the highest point of the upwardly offset portions inclined downwardly to the rear end of the frame as shown at 11. The rear part of the body conforms to the downward inclination of this part of the frame,

the upwardly offset and the downwardly inclined portions being in fact beneath the rear seat of the body, the flooror bottom boards of said seat resting upon said inclined portions and therefore inclining downwardly from the front as shown.

There are numerous advantages in this con- `105 'structionf over those constructlons wherein .the rearspartslof the frame and body extend fromthe axlein a horizontal direction,

and among these advantages may be mentioned ythe-following: The body as a-whole isz'very low; a desirable depth of cushion can be obtained atf the rear part of the rear seat without necessitating'a high cushion or high seat floor; the cushion by reason of the {downward `inclination of the basev is pre*- Yented from sliding forwardly, and the back panel of the body 'has greater height than is usually the case, 4'thus adding to the appearance of the-rear part ofthe body.

. While-'the downward inclination ofthe frame and'rear partof the body' haveI the advantages above enumerated, in those cars whereit is desirable to employ a platform -'sprin'g,1the frame is preferably otherwise improved in form and, shape without losin `any-of the 'advantages previouslyinentione By reference particularly to Figs?, and 3, it will be seen that the downwardly. inclined ,portions 11 o'f the side bars 11 of the frame,

instead of extending rearwardly to the rearv end of the frame in th'e same vertical planes with the :forward portions of the side bars, also` extend diagonally `inwardtoward .each other. The ends of the side bars meet at the rear of the frame on the longitudinal axis -of the chassis, the rear ends lof the bars shown at 11l being at a more acute angle or more'nearly. parallel to each other than the portions 11 forwardly thereof," thus p rovidingadecided V-at the rear central part of the `chassis frame- .At the apex of the convergingpart of the frame, or at the extreme rear elnds of the side bars,gthe latter aie secured together, andlinclosed within a jv-shaped member .15, .which is pro vided with an integral base plate 15, (see' Fig. 2), to which the rear platform spring 13 is directly secured.'4 `:T he inclosing and connecting member 15 which may be' formed .from properly cutand shaped Aplate material. is `securely riveted to the ends of. both side members` of they fra-ine, as best shown 1n Fig.'3. y Just 'at .the rearao'lf the rear axle, and near the junction of the parts-11h and 11, the twov side members 11 are connected together by a ychannel 'shaped cross bar 16. By

this construction, Athe"rectangular rear corners usuali in a chassis frame are eliminated, and yextending the side bars of the frame inwardly, asffwell as i.downwardly, -fandiearwardlyfroin the rear axle so that required in; theconstruction of. theiframe,

f .than would betl-ieca'sey if the rear end were rectangular. Furthermore, thek V shaped end provides for .aj more vdirect attachment of the rea-rplatfor'm spring to the frame than is the-case with the-present constructions, and' the diagonally extending portions l of-thevside' bars, transmit the stresses to the `forward parts of the frame in the manner Y desired, and in lthe manner eiected by 'the bracing bars of prior constructions.

rear portions convergefless4 material is in t'a thencel bein -bent upwardly so as to provideclearance or the rear axle casing, and thence being inclined downwardly from thel upwardly bent portions 'to the rear end `of the f rame and a bodysupported on the chassls frame andextendin over the rear inclined portion in conformity with the inv clination thereof.

2.1In an automobile, a chassis including a frame, a rear axle casing', a body supported-on the frame,y the side bars of said frame being bent upwardly over thev rear axle and from the upwardly bent porti-onsl extending diagonally downward and rearward to the rear end of the frame, the floor of the rear part of thel bod being inclined inl confoi-i'nityl withthe .inclination of the frame.

3. I n an automobile, a chassis including a frame, a rear axle casing,' a body7 supported on said frame, said frame linc udingside wardly of the rear axle casing, and just in Vforward portions substantially horizon-A bars which are substantially horizontal. forwardly fromthe highest point of the upwardly bent ortion to the rear end of the frame, said ody having a rear seat, the door of which is inclined downwardly 'rear axle` casing, and springsv between the frame and rear axle casing, said frame com* g I from' the front in'conformity. with the inclination prising side bars which' are Vsubstantially parallel -Aforwardly of the rear axle casing,

and rearwardly of the rear axle casing ex- 'tend diagonally towardeach other, said side bars' being connected *together and to one of said springs at the.. rear ends of said side bars at substantially' the longitudinal center line of the chassis.

5. A chassis including a frame, a rear axle casing, and' springsy between the frame and axlecasing, said frame including side barswhich are parallel forwardly ofthe. casing `and rearwardly of the casing extend inwardly toward each other, and ineens' securing .the rear ends of the side bars'together at ysubstantially the longitudinal center line of the chassis. 1

6. A chassisframe comprising side `bars which for a portion of their length are par'- alleland at the rear part of "the frame are bent'upwardly rearward an inward toward each other,

and have their rear ends connected together.

7. A chassis framev including side bars which at .the rear part ofthe frame are bent and thence extend diagonally vupwardly and thence extend ldiagonally rearward and inward toward each ot er, the rearwardly and inwardly extending portions being downwardly inclined.

8.' In an automobile chassis, a frame, a rear axle casing), said frame including side bars which are ent upwardly over the axle casing and thence extend diagonally rearincluding a rear platform s ring, saidl frame comprising side vbars whic at'the rear of the axle/ casing converge forming substantially a V at the vrear .end of the frame, and

the platform spring having a connection with the rear end of the frame.

10.I In an automobile chassis, a frame, a rear axle casing, springs connecting the frame to the axle casin and including a rear platform spring, said frame including side bars which are bent upwardly over the. axle casing and thence extend downwardly inwardly andv rearwardly, the free ends bethe platform spring.

ing substantially at the center lineof the frame and being ,connected together and to 11. In a motor vehicle," a frame, a rear axle casing, springs connecting the frame to the axlecasing,l a body including a rear seat supported on the frame, 'said frame in cluding side bars which are bent u wardly over the axle casing and thence are inclined downwardly, inwardly and. rearwardly' toward the center line of the vehicle,'the upwardly bent parts being beneath the rear seat, the base of rwhich is inclined andvrests upon the inclined portion of the frame.

12; In combination, an automobile chassis frame comprising side bars which are bent upwardly to provide clearance for the rear axle casing and rearwardly of the upwardly bent portions, beingy inchned downwardly, and a body supported by the chassis frame, the rear part of the body conforming to the upwardly bent and downwardly inclined portions of the chassis frame.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aiiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE R. WADSWORTH. Witnesses.'

A. F. Kwis, A. J. HUDSON. 

